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Intertribal cultural resources

The regional Native American community works in partnership with Metro to access cultural resources within Metro’s parks and natural areas.

A community member holds freshly harvested and cleaned camas bulbs. Camas is a First Food to the Indigenous Peoples in the Portland region.

Community members Judy Bluehorse Skelton, Nez Perce and Shawna Zierdt, Cowlitz as they harvest camas from Quamash Prairie this April. Judy and Shawna have been pivotal in guiding Metro’s work with the Native American community.

This May, Native American community members accessed Quamash Prairie, a Metro natural area, to host a pit roast. Pit roasting is a traditional cooking method used to cook First Foods like camas and cattail.

Metro partnered with regional Native American community members and partner agencies to host the Portland region’s first annual Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration at the Oregon Zoo, which is declared as the second Monday in October.

Local drum group Seventh Generation sings an honor song at the Indigenous Peoples’ Day event at the Oregon Zoo.

Local Native American community members guide the First Foods research work that Metro does at Quamash Prairie. Pictured, two community members show Metro staff how to respectfully clean camas bulbs on site upon harvesting.

Cultural resource use

Metro manages public lands that are part of lands ceded from regional tribes and recognizes the unique relationship tribal people in the region have to this land. In collaboration with greater Portland’s Native American community, Metro has developed a culturally appropriate process for Native Americans to access land for cultural events, culturally significant plant material harvesting or ceremony space.

Members of the Native American community have the option to bypass this application and coordinate with the intertribal cultural resource specialist directly by contacting Alice Froehlich at [email protected] or 503-505-5445.

Special events

In partnership with the regional Native American Community Advisory Council, Metro strives to provide events and opportunities for members of the Native American community to have safe access to First Foods and cultural resources in regional parks and natural areas. For more information about upcoming events, contact Alice Froehlich at [email protected] or 503-505-5445..

Portland is home to the nation’s ninth largest urban Native American population. Native American people did not come to Portland by accident, but through a series of federal policies that forced the removal of Indians from tribal homelands.

Many communities are reclaiming Columbus Day and putting the focus on Indigenous communities. On Oct. 10, the Native American Youth and Family Center, Oregon Parks & Recreation Department, Multnomah County and Metro hosted the second annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration at the Oregon Zoo

BlueHorse Skelton and her students in Portland State University's Indigenous Nations Studies program are helping to incorporate Native traditions into the urban landscape for food, medicines and ceremonies.

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